The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
The Chronicles of Riddick plot
The following content describes the plot for the movie.
Riddick has been in hiding for five years after Pitch Black. He evades the bounty hunter Toombs, killing Toombs’ crew and stealing his ship on Planet U.V., a world lit only by Ultraviolet Light. He then heads to New Mecca in the Helion System, after Toombs reveals his bounty originated there. Once there, Riddick is reunited with Imam, the man he rescued in Pitch Black. Imam believes Riddick is a Furyan, a race of warriors long thought extinct, and wants to know about his homeworld and if anyone other than himself is left. Imam believes Helion Prime is the next planet to be conquered by a mysterious force crusading across the stars. Aereon, an Air Elemental, identifies the army as the Necromongers, religious fanatics who seek to convert everyone and kill those who refuse. The Necromongers invade that very night, overwhelming the defense forces and take control of the capital. In the ensuing battle, Imam is killed and Riddick escapes.
The next day, the Necromonger high priest called ‘The Purifier’ coerces the populace into converting, except for Riddick, who defiantly kills the man who killed Imam. Intrigued, the Lord Marshal orders Riddick be scanned by the Quasi-Deads, half-dead telepaths who determine that he is one of the few remaining Furyans. Lord Marshal orders Riddick’s death, but Riddick escapes the Necromonger ship and allows himself to again be captured by Toombs. Riddick is taken to Crematoria, a harsh subterrenean prison moon, where Jack from Pitch Black was reported to have been sent. He meets up with her as the Prison Warden warns Toombs of the “Ghost Army” killing entire worlds and leaving behind dead Systems. They have various names but all seem to be aware of the threat they pose.
Following Riddick’s escape, the Lord Marshal sends Commander Vaako to hunt him down, an easy process since Toombs’ ship left behind an easily traceable path. Vaako’s wife speaks to Aereon, who reveals that Furya was devastated by the Lord Marshal after he was told a child from that planet would kill him. Dame Vaako and her husband determine Lord Marshal wants Riddick dead, as he may be the child of said prophecy.
On Crematoria, a disagreement breaks out between Toombs and the prison warden over what Toombs is owed. Word about the Necromongers has reached the prison warden, who deduces that Toombs has stolen a prisoner from the Necromongers. In the prison, Riddick finds Jack, now named Kyra, and they eventually reconcile.
Later, the guards kill all the bounty hunters, take the reward money and prepare to leave before the Necromongers arrive. Riddick leads several prisoners across Crematoria’s Volcanic Surface to steal the ship. The guards reach the hangar, just as the prisoners arrive outside of hangar doors to find the Necromongers have cornered them there. All of the guards are killed and Riddick is incapacitated by Vaako. With the approach of the vicious sunrise (from 0 to 700 degrees in seconds), Vaako leaves Riddick to die; Kyra, thinking Riddick is dead, flees with the Necromongers.
However, Riddick is saved by the Purifier, who tells him that if he stays away from the Necromongers, they will not hunt him. The Purifier then reveals that he too is Furyan, and that Vaako will report Riddick as dead, giving Riddick the element of surprise. The Purifier then commits suicide by walking out into the scorching heat after he encourages Riddick to save Kyra and kill the Lord Marshal. Meanwhile, Vaako reports Riddick dead and is named heir apparent by the Lord Marshal. Riddick flies back to Helion Prime in Toombs’ spacecraft.
Riddick, disguised in Necromonger armor, infiltrates the main hall; Dame Vaako sees him, but encourages her husband to let Riddick strike first to wound the Lord Marshal and pave the way for Vaako to kill him. When Riddick strikes, the Lord Marshal presents Kyra, who appears to have converted; Riddick attacks Lord Marshal, who is unstoppable with his unnatural powers. When it appears that Riddick has lost, Kyra stabs the Lord Marshal in the back with a spear. She is then mortally wounded after being impaled on a spike. Vaako makes his move to strike, but Riddick, who in the fight has figured out Lord Marshal’s weakness, ends up killing him. Kyra dies, and the Necromongers kneel before Riddick, their new leader.
Source: Wikipedia
Our verdict: Sequel to Pitch Black that’s better than the bad press it received on release
Related items: – The Chronicles of Riddick on DVD and Blu-ray available to order/pre-order from AMAZON.